2016 Free Dining Watch

[Disneylover99]

I bite, what happened last year?
I find it kind of funny, this frenzy. I'm as anxious as the next person however reading that people are/want to book two reservations and that people are waking up at 4:30 to get it booked, kind of cracks me up. There are tons of reservations, that's how come the offers says book by and gives a date two months away. They don't sell out in minutes, hours or even days. I doubt many of us here will not get FD if its in the dates set by Disney.
Its all in fun though so I hope everyone gets what they want. Good luck to us all!

If you're flexible with resorts, room categories and dates, you'll probably get FD no problem. I am not flexible. I will be waking up Monday morning at 4:30am to check.

 

[6loversofdisney]

I have a dumb question that I'm sure wad already answered.

If someone has an existing reservation (I do not), and they go on at 430 am EST, do they modify that reservation or have to make a whole new one. Will simply modifying it give you the free dining if it's available?

 

[tinkerone]

Last year I called at 7:20am EST and there was no availability left at my resort. It was a feeding frenzy!

Could be due to the fact people have reservations at more than one resort. I would bet if you called back a few days later you could have gotten your chosen resort, once some of the dummy reservations were canceled.

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

As a PP stated, the feeding frenzy is what happened last year. The website crashed and the phone lines were tied up for hours. Availability was *poof!* gone within the early morning hours. Wait until the evening to book....yeah, right! Only in a perfect Disney World (see what I did there..heh heh).

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I saw that post too, on this thread or the other one. I *think* the 11/11 date was from something that showed up on the Disney or TA website briefly and then disappeared. Watching the November start date carefully as we will check in on 11/12 for a week (do not currently have a reservation).

Some TA's saw the 15th date I've seen. I'm still hoping for the 11th

 

[tinkerone]

As a PP stated, the feeding frenzy is what happened last year. The website crashed and the phone lines were tied up for hours. Availability was *poof!* gone within the early morning hours. Wait until the evening to book....yeah, right! Only in a perfect Disney World (see what I did there..heh heh).

Well that answers the question about what happened. I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. We booked FD two weeks after it opened and had no issues. Maybe we were just lucky but I can't see them offering for booking for a two month period when they only have enough rooms for people booking on the first day.

 

[jimjenkids]

I am:

Happy that I can check in on any of the dates offered in December....

Sad that I can ONLY go in December...

According to the poll I put at the top of this thread, it seems like the least amount of people want December and August...but that is according to my little poll lol

excited, but we are a bit limited for check in days-kids are in HS Sports and one college(hes not going ) but we do always have to go in December. looks like we are hopefully able to get FD on the last or second to last day offered in Dec. we do drive down so we can play with the days a bit but only by a day or two(not to mention we have reservations at the dark side right before we check in at Disney). I too was shocked by the poll showing the least amount for December. here's hoping for a bit of magic to come our way-FD will always help.

I also have quick question, if I have a second reservation for my oldest son and his GF, can I change theirs or do they have to call and do that...Still trying to figure out if I should book theirs now or wait(either way I will be paying the deposit for them-and they are gone on s spring vaca this week into next)

 

[ehoops120912]

I have a dumb question that I'm sure wad already answered.

If someone has an existing reservation (I do not), and they go on at 430 am EST, do they modify that reservation or have to make a whole new one. Will simply modifying it give you the free dining if it's available?

Last year I had a existing reservation already set up and just modified the current reservation. I'm assuming you should be able to do the same this year.

 

[Tina O'Toole]

the rumor is 4/25 for Disney Visa card holders and May 2 for the GP. last year there was no advance booking window for DVisa

Where did you see this rumor? I haven't seen anything about this one yet. Is there another board on here with more chatter? I feel like I am missing something.

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

Well that answers the question about what happened. I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. We booked FD two weeks after it opened and had no issues. Maybe we were just lucky but I can't see them offering for booking for a two month period when they only have enough rooms for people booking on the first day.

Agreed. I booked a spur of the moment trip in 2013 a good month after the FD promo was released and got everything we wanted. I think they do end up adding more room availability after the initial craziness dies down. However, there will still be people (like myself) anxiously awaiting for the promo to drop...even if it's at 4 am, to lock that baby in!!!
#nottakinganychances

 

[Disneylover99]

Could be due to the fact people have reservations at more than one resort. I would bet if you called back a few days later you could have gotten your chosen resort, once some of the dummy reservations were canceled.

A few years ago, I waited until the end of the first day to book online cause I didn't have time in the morning. Big mistake. There was nothing left at the resort I wanted for my dates. I was finally able to switch to the resort I wanted a few weeks later, but I was never able to get one of the room categorys I wanted. I checked constantly.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I have one more question. When fall room discounts open up, is it as crazy as when FD opens up?

Not even close, free dining is madness!

If you're flexible with resorts, room categories and dates, you'll probably get FD no problem. I am not flexible. I will be waking up Monday morning at 4:30am to check.

We're flexible and I'm still anxiously checking several times a day.

 

[CandiceF]

Not even close, free dining is madness!

We're flexible and I'm still anxiously checking several times a day.

Good, Thank-you! If my resort is not offered for FD in November, I don't think I could do the crazy race again for RD!

 

[Fuzzeh]

Whenever it's released, I'm hoping it's a Monday morning. I have off work that day, so I don't mind getting up super early to check as much. Any other weekday I won't have a chance until 7-8pm, so no chance for me!

 

[hippsmom]

I am booking 2 rooms, 1 for me, dh and dd and 1 for my niece and her dd, so that we can hopefully get FD with my Visa. Since I am putting the deposit on my Visa is that considered one reservation? DH and I would like to upgrade our party to the DxDP but my niece and her little one do not. Possible?

 

[Jacie]

Has anyone been the first two or three days of Thanksgiving week? Will I regret it if they're my last days of a nine day trip? We're planning on going a bit earlier in November but we are considering changing our dates for Free Dining and that would have us leaving for home the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
My husband is super sick of talking this out with me, lol, so I come to you!

 

[bella2117]

Sorry if its been asked already but any info on booking early with a Disney Visa?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I am booking 2 rooms, 1 for me, dh and dd and 1 for my niece and her dd, so that we can hopefully get FD with my Visa. Since I am putting the deposit on my Visa is that considered one reservation? DH and I would like to upgrade our party to the DxDP but my niece and her little one do not. Possible?

It is two reservations since you will be booking two separate rooms. You will have to make a deposit for each room. You can upgrade one room to the DxDP and leave the second one at DDP.

 

[madlove4disney]

Has anyone been the first two or three days of Thanksgiving week? Will I regret it if they're my last days of a nine day trip? We're planning on going a bit earlier in November but we are considering changing our dates for Free Dining and that would have us leaving for home the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
My husband is super sick of talking this out with me, lol, so I come to you!

I would be interested in this information as well! We would prefer to go 10/29-11/6, but if there is not free dining for that time, we will be going 11/18-23. Obviously, I would prefer the longer visit, but the November dates would have me spending my birthday in my happy place

 

[hippsmom]

Sorry if its been asked already but any info on booking early with a Disney Visa?

Rumor is 4/25